The cause of a blaze which destroyed the roof of a Bethnal Green apartment block, forcing 30 households into temporary accommodation, has been revealed.
London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) investigation team believe the fire at Hadleigh House on Thursday, May 28, was accidental and caused by the unsafe disposal of a cigarette, which caught light to fibreglass framework covering pipes and spread to the roof.
Four people were rescued by firefighters from the early morning blaze in Hadleigh Close and one man was taken to hospital as a precaution.
More than 100 residents of the 30-flat building escaped safely.
A spokesperson for LFB said: “Fires caused by smoking materials including cigarettes, roll-ups, cigars and pipes, result in more deaths than any other type of fire.
“Stub cigarettes out properly and always dispose of them carefully.
“Make sure smoking materials are cold before emptying ashtrays.
“Preferably wet stubs before throwing them into a bin.”
Eighty firefighters battled the blaze after the brigade was called at 3.28am.
It took around two hours to get the fire under control.
• READ MORE: Residents awaiting answers after roof blaze at Bethnal Green block of flats
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